Discrete Optimization: Online Course by The University of Melbourne

Discrete Optimization is a free online course, conducted by the University of Melbourne.

About the course
Optimization technology is ubiquitous in our society. It schedules planes and their crews, coordinates the production of steel, and organizes the transportation of iron ore from the mines to the ports.

Optimization clears the day-ahead and real-time markets to deliver electricity to millions of people. It organizes kidney exchanges and cancer treatments and helps scientists understand the fundamental fabric of life, control complex chemical reactions, and design drugs that may benefit billions of individuals.

This class is an introduction to discrete optimization and exposes students to some of the most fundamental concepts and algorithms in the field.

It covers constraint programming, local search, and mixed-integer programming from their foundations to their applications for complex practical problems in areas such as scheduling, vehicle routing, supply-chain optimization, and resource allocation.

Prerequisites
Good programming skills, knowledge of fundamental algorithms, and linear algebra.

Course Format
The class will consist of lecture videos, which are between 8 and 20 minutes in length (approximately 3 hours per week), and programming assignment covering the course concepts and exercising creativity. Successful students can spend between 5 to 20 hours a week on the assignments depending on their background skills and level of interest.

Course Sessions
March 4, 2015 - May 6, 2015

For further information and to register for free, click here.